8.5 month old habit feeding at night?

[gfalaro]

From 6 weeks (after getting cleared from pediatrician to stop waking for night feeds) until 4 months my baby only would wake once for a bottle around 2-4am after going to bed at 7ish. During the four month regression we where hit hard and did whatever we could to just get through and we came out the other side with an extra night feeding. Baby was waking about 3-4 hours after going down and again around 2-4am.

The last couple of weeks (8 month regression) he has been waking at 930 almost every single night, even if he just went down at 730 and he will scream until he gets a bottle. He’s then up every 2-3 hours and we’ve been up to about 3 night feedings.

Baby is fed before naps/sleep and rocked to sleep- bottle fed breastmilk due to medical issues early on making it difficult to establish nursing.

My question is- does this sound like habit feeding and not hunger? He gets about 32 ounces in a day and 3 solid meals (though we are still working on getting him comfortable with solids). I want to continue to support him through the night but am also just sooooo tired and looking for suggestions. Night bottles are small- 3 ounces because I feel like he will wake regardless of how much milk he drinks and I don’t want him to get a belly ache.

 

[thecup]

@gfalaro Sounds like he’s hungry/thirsty/need comfort. It’s hard to tell at that age so I’d just continue to feed on demand.

 

[bolleke]

@gfalaro Don’t have any advice but I’m kinda in the same boat. Except mines 14 months and has about 16 oz at night (it varies, but he cannot go a night without at least 4 oz). He likes to eat and the doctor said his weight is great and is healthy.

The good thing is as your baby gets older they can grab the bottle on their own. I just put give the bottle to him when he cries and he drinks. Other times I put it next to him so it’s touching him and he grabs it when he wants it at night.

 

[gfalaro]

@bolleke When were you able to start doing that? Do you go back and grab the bottle so he doesn’t drink it once it goes bad? Also are you offering BM or cow’s milk?

 

[bolleke]

@gfalaro I do not remember exactly, but it was definitely closer to when he was reaching 1 year. It varies in all babies. Some babies grab the bottle on their own earlier or later.

And yes, I do take the time of when I made the bottle and gave it to him. Since I’m a relatively light sleeper I wake up (either randomly or because he cried) and check to see if he finished the bottle and the time.

I still use formula and occasionally the milk powder Nido. If I’m not giving milk, I give him some light chamomile tea. Couldn’t breastfeed and it was hard to keep my supply so I can’t offer him breast milk.

 

[gfalaro]

@bolleke Thank you!!

Super helpful- when did you start chamomile? I’ve thought often that he’s just waking from thirst not hunger so something like that that wouldn’t spoil would be nice once he’s a bit older. Obviously just water would work too I guess

 

[bolleke]

@gfalaro I started giving it to him when he was newborn but mixed with formula (instead of plain water) so he got used to having the tea with milk. But I will warn that chamomile does spoil and depending on the temperature of the room the rate it spoils can vary. You can notice when it goes from clear to opaque. I would do water but he refuses to drink water from the bottle, he prefers cups for some reason and sometimes he wants tea to relax and sleep.

 

[gfalaro]

@bolleke That’s a really great idea- thank you!

 

[starrfairy]

@gfalaro Honestly, only waking up once between 6 weeks and 4 months means you were lucky with a unicorn baby. Most babies who are not ignored at night wake up more frequently. He sounds like a normal 8 months old now, still a better sleeper than most.